Reel of alternately rotated parallel-wire strand and method of making

ABSTRACT

A parallel wire strand is made, preferably with the casts of the individual wires matched against each other in opposed relationship to form a &#39;&#39;&#39;&#39;balanced&#39;&#39;&#39;&#39; strand, and subsequently reeled upon a reel by rotating or allowing the parallel-wire strand to rotate from side to side about its longitudinal axis as it is reeled to provide a conveniently transportable reel of parallel-wire strand with the strand coiled upon the reel with periodic, alternate clockwise and counterclockwise rotation about the longitudinal axis of the strand.

llnite-wi Durkee et al.

[ Dec. 24, 1974 tet [191 REEL OF ALTERNATELY ROTATED [56] References Cited PARALLEL-WIRE STRAND AND METHOD UNITED STATES PATENTS F MAKING 2,882,674 4/1959 Lenk 57/34 AT Inventors: Jackson L. Durkee, Bethlehem; ros y e a Arthur Belghley Wlnlamsport 3,025,656 3/l962 Cook 57 34 both of Pa.; Donald E. Dunlap, deceased, late of Montoursville, Pa.

y y E Dunlap, administratrix Przmary Exammer-Werner H. Schroeder Attorney, Agent, or FirmJoseph J. OKeefe; Charles Assignee: Bethlehem Steel Corporation, A. Wilkinson M v Bethlehem, Pa. Filed: June 4, 1970 [57] ACT A parallel wir'e strand is made, preferably with the casts of the individual wires matched against each other in opposed relationship to form a balanced Appl. No.: 43,464

Related US. Application Data Continuation-in-part of ,Ser. No. 575,038, Aug 25, I

1966, PM NO. 3,526,570 7 mg or allowing the parallel-wire strand to rotate from sideto side about its longitudinal axis as it is reeled to provide a conveniently transportable reel of parallel- .S. l. 242 166 g g 5 7/l56 57/34 3 /5/00 wire strand with the strand coiled upon the reel with Fie'ld 62 63 periodic, alternate clockwise and counterclockwise rotation about the longitudinal axis of the strand.

23 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures strand, and subsequently reeled upon a reel by rotat- PATENIH] 08:24 1974 m kw mm,

INVENTORS REEL E ALTERNATELY RoTATEn a THOID or CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to prefabricated parallelwire strands of the type wherein the individual component wires of the strand are in substantial parallel relationship to the longitudinal axis of the strand and to each other, and more particularly to the reeling of and reels of such strand and to reeled parallel-wire structural strand having superior physical properties.

Parallel-wire strand type cables are extensively used in structural type applications and particularly as the suspension cables of large suspension bridges because of their superior strength and axial stiffness in a comparison with cables made of helical-wire strand which do not develop the unit ultimate strength or the modulus of elasticity of parallel-laid wire. It has been widespread practice to construct parallel-wire cables in suspension on bridges by a process known as aerial spinning, that is by hauling individual loops of bridge wire back and forth over the bridge towers and connecting them to the anchorages. A number of such wires are bundled together to form a parallel-wire strand. A group of such parallel-wire strands are formed consecutively and then compacted together to form the parallel-wire suspension cable. Spinning of the parallel-wire strands in place on the bridge itself is slow and difficult, and, since it is done under field conditions at a great height, tends also to be dangerous. The length of each individual wire must be carefully adjusted immediately upon erection in order to provide a compact strand with minimum length differentials among the wires as they hang in a catenary across the bridge spans. Attempts have been made to prefabricate the parallelwire strands on the ground at the bridge site, but these efforts have proven unsatisfactory for a variety of reasons. Such strands have often exhibited troublesome tendencies to twist and coil, because of the curvature or cast of the manufactured wire. In addition, it had been thought impossible to reel parallel-wire strand so as to make it conveniently transportable, because the maximum-radius wires on the longer outer circumference of a reeled parallel-wire strand presumably would be greatly stretched and the minimum-radius wires on the shorter inner circumference of the strand corres'pondingly compressed when the parallel-wire strand was bent around the drum of a reel during reeling.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present inventors have discovered that parallelwire strand can be reeled effectively if the strand is actively rotated or if the conditions of the reeling are arranged to facilitate passive rotation of the strand alternately in clockwise and counterclockwise directions about its longitudinal axis during passage onto a reel and that the resulting reel with parallel-wire strand coiled thereabout with periodic alternate rotations about its own axis can be efficiently and effectively transported from the place of manufacture or fabrication to the job site without damage to the parallel-wire strand.

It has also been discovered by the present inventors that the reeling of parallel-wire strand with alternate clockwise and counterclockwise rotations about its axis can be facilitated if the parallel-wire strand is initially fabricated with the cast of the individual wires substantially opposed to form a balanced or stabilized strand with a minimum tendency to twist and coil, and also if a suitably resilient binding is applied at intervals along the strand to resiliently bind the individual wires together into the strand.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a plan view of an arrangement for forming and reeling parallel-wire strand.

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the arrangement of FIG. 1'.

FIG. 3 is enlarged elevation of a portion of the apparatus of FIGS. 1 and 2.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic elevation of an alternate dynamic clamp arrangement.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT FIG. 1 shows a layout for the fabrication of parallelwire strand. A plurality of swifts or turntables l1 and 13 are arranged to direct a series of wires 19 and 21 through a series of guides 23 and 25 to lay plates 27, 29, 31 and 32 which direct the wires to a series of roller compacting dies 33, 47, 49, 50 and 51 between which the resulting parallel-wire strand 41 is wrapped at intervals with a suitable tape or other binding means 128 to hold the wires of the parallel-wire strand together. A suitable pulling device 53, shown as a caterpuller type capstan, pulls the wires 19 and 21 from the swifts 11 and 13 through the lay plates 27, 29, 31 and 32 and roller compacting dies 33, 47, 49, 50 and 51 and passes the finished strand 41 along a roller conveyor 163 and through traverse 161 to reeling apparatus 157 where the strand 41 is reeled upon reel 159. Preferably the roller compacting dies 33, 47, 49, 50 and 51 and the pulling device or caterpuller capstan 53, are designed with hexagonal strand-contacting sections or faces so that a parallel-wire strand having a close packed hexagonal cross section is formed which can be efficiently and effectively clamped by external clamping means to pull and prevent rotation on their axes of the various component wires of the strand and also facilitate rotation of the parallel-wire strand during reeling if active rotation is undertaken. While a hexagonal shape for the strand is preferable, however, it is by no means essential for the operation of the present invention. It is also preferable that-the pulling device 53 be in the form of a dynamic clamp such as a caterpuller or the like but this is by no means necessary if the reeling of the strand is not to be done immediately upon fabrication of the strand.

A more detailed description of the various apparatus and procedure for fabrication of the preferred balanced or stabilized parallel-wire strand will be found in US. Pat. application Ser. No. 575,038 filed Aug. 25, 1966, by the present inventors, the disclosures of which application are hereby incorporated by reference as an integral part of the present application.

It will be seen in FIGS. 1 and 2 that wires 19 derived from swifts or turntables 11 upon which left-hand wound coils are mounted will tend to have a cast, natural curvature, or residual bending moment, opening toward the left-hand side of the apparatus, as viewed along the strand fabrication line facing the swifts, while wires 21 derived from swifts or turntables 13 on which right-hand coils are mounted will have a cast, natural curvature, residual bending moment, opening towards the right-hand side of the apparatus as viewed along the strand fabrication line facing the swifts. According to the invention disclosed in the present applicants previously filed application these curvatures are maintained in the same directions while the strand is being fabricated, and the finished strand, therefore, has all the wires arranged in the strand with their natural casts or residual bending moments disposed in the same directions with respect to each other as they are when on the turntables. As a result, the cast of the wires is effectively balanced in one strand with the various casts opposed to each other, so that the finished strand itself has no tendency to twist or coil.

The casts of the wires need not all be arranged in one of two directions as illustrated, nor need each wire be grouped together with all the other wires having a cast maintained in the same direction, so long as each wire having a cast maintained in one direction is substantially balanced by another strand having its cast maintained in the opposite direction. For instance, the wires may be mixed together with their casts opposing in two, three or four or more directions.

A satisfactory balanced parallel-wire strand can also be fabricated by first clamping the leading ends of the wires preferably into a hexagonal strand shape by means of a suitable hexagonal clamp and then drawing the strand through the roller die 33 and the succeeding roller dies by means of a towing line attached to the clamp. Alternatively, a socket may be attached to the end of the strand and the towing line attached thereto for drawing the strand forward. In all cases the strands or wires are clamped at two spaced locations all during fabrication and the strands are socketed at both ends or otherwise secured after fabrication to prevent the individual component wires from rotating upon their axes within the strand to match their casts and thus destroy the balanced or stabilized structure of the strand.

After the strand is drawn through dynamic clamp or caterpuller capstan 53, firmly secured between the clamping surfaces of the clamp, it is passed to take-up 157 where it is reeled onto a large diameter reel 159. As the strand passes to reel 159 it is supported beyond dynamic clamp 53 by roller table 163 and then passes across traverse mechanism 161, as more fully shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, which traverse mechanism directs the strand onto reel 159 mounted on shaft 160 which is journaled in bearings 162 in mountings 164, and prevented from rotating independently of shaft 160 by keepers 158. A motor 165 operates traverse 161 through suitable drive means, gear reducer 166, and chain 167 which moves traverse carriage 168 on which are mounted horizontal and vertical roller guides 170 and 172. A motor 169 operates reel 159 through appropriate gearing in gear reducer 171, chain 173, clutch 175 and brake disk 177.

It has always been considered impractical to reel parallel-wire strand because the wires on the shorter inner circumference presumably could not accommodate the wires on the longer outer circumference of a reeled parallel-wire strand without inducing excessive stress in the individual wires. This is a particular disadvantage in a strand to be used in a bridge cable since the strand wires must be maintained precisely equal in length, and overstressing and kinking of wires would be intolerable. The present inventors have discovered, however, that a parallel-wire strand may be reeled effectively if the strand is bound at intervals as described above with a resilient securing means 128 which will stretch sufficiently to allow the strand to open up slightly as it is reeled, but not enough to allow the wires in the strand to become a loose bundle of wires, and, in addition, if the strand is rotated or allowed to rotate in alternate directions about its own axis through a range of approximately three quarters of a full rotation or more as it is reeled. It is not necessary to actively rotate the strand, since effective, though occasionally somewhat uneven, rotation will be obtained by merely allowing the strand free rein to rotate of its own accord.

By rotating the strand in the foregoing manner the strand may be laid up around the reel drum in consecutive layers in the form of a periodically alternating helix. In order to properly relieve the stress on the component wires of the strand caused by bending the strand about the drum of reel 159 the strand preferably should have approximately at least one complete rotation about its axis in either a clockwise or counterclockwise direction for each rotation of the reel.

As seen in FIG. 3, as the strand 41 leaves dynamic clamp 53 and passes through traverse 161 it begins to rotate so that first one face of the hexagonal strand 41 is visible and then successive faces of the hexagonal strand, each inclined degrees to the adjacent faces, become visible. Thus in FIG. 3 five distinct faces of the strand are visible in the end coil on reel 159 indicating that the strand has been rotated between approximately three quarters of one full rotation and one full rotation in a counterclockwise direction in the first coil on the reel 159. As seen in FIG. 4 in the next adjacent coil the strand will be rotated in the opposite direction and so forth from coil to coil on the reel.

If the strand is actively rotated in alternate clockwise and counterclockwise directions by means of a rotatable hexagonal die or the like mounted just prior to the reel 159 a satisfactory reel of strand can be formed even with the use of binding tape of low resilience since the strand can be rotated upon its longitudinal axis sufficiently to relieve all strain in the component parallel wires.

If the parallel-wire strand is to be allowed to passively rotate in alternate clockwise and counterclockwise directions of its own accord as it is reeled, the strand must be left unrestricted for a sufficient distance in front of the reel 159 as it passes onto the reel as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4- such that the strand can accommodate itself to the curvature of the reel by alternate clockwise and counterclockwise rotations upon its own longitudinal axis. Thus as the parallel-wire strand leaves the clamping surfaces of dynamic clamp 53 the strand is allowed, or encouraged, to rotate about its own axis in alternating directions as may be seen in FIGS. 3 and 4, as it passes onto reel 159, where as may be seen in FIG. 4, it is spooled alternately from side to side on the reel in as many superimposed layers as may be required. The alternating strand rotation, and the resilience of the tape securing the strand, relieve the distortions and stresses incident to reeling the strand and allow the strand to be reeled without damage. As stated supra the strand must not be hampered in commencing to rotate as it approaches the reel. If the strand 41 is allowed to open slightly within the resilient securing means 128 as it is reeled, a full 360 rotation from side to side will not be required for complete accommodation of the various component wires of the strand to bending about the circumference of the reel.

It will be recognized that as the strand rotates about its axis the outer wires of the strand will be twisted in a helical path about the inner wires of the strand. It will also be apparent that the central wire of the strand will be torqued as the strand rotates, but will remain in substantially the same position in the strand extending along the axis of the strand while the wires radially outwardly of the central wire will be twisted into a helical path about the central wire.

With either active or passive rotation of the strand in alternate clockwise and counterclockwise directions there results a reel having parallel-wire strand coiled upon it with alternate clockwise and counterclockwise rotations about its longitudinal axis which reel can be conveniently and efficiently transported from the place of fabrication of the strand to the location where the strand is to be used as a structural member. After shipment the strand may be easily unreeled from the reel 159 whereupon it resumes its unrotated condition.

If the strand is to be reeled with only passive rotation the binding tape must have sufficient strength so that it will not break as it confines the wires of the strand during reeling, and it must have a maximum stretch of not over percent in order that it can permit the wires to open oispread sufficiently to adjust the stresses in the strand during reeling, without at the same time allowing the wires of the strand to become unduly disarranged. It is highly desirable for the tape to be resilient enough to return at least partially to its former length when tension upon it is reduced.

It is not necessary for the practice of the present in vention that the parallel-wire strand which is to be reeled be the stabilized strand described above and disclosed and claimed in U.S. application Ser. No. 575 ,038. The present invention comprising rotating the parallel-wire strand alternately in clockwise and counterclockwise directions is equally applicable to the reeling of parallel-wire strand which does not have the casts of the component wires opposed to each other to provide a balanced or stabilized strand.

It has been found highly advantageous, however, in reeling or coiling the parallel-wire strand for the parallel-wire strand to be stabilized strand particularly if the strand is to be only passively rotated upon its longitudinal axis during reeling and particularly if the strand is not to be reeled in a continuous process following upon its fabrication since if the strand has acquired a tendency to bend or curve along its longitudinal axis due to the unbalanced casts or longitudinal residual bending moments of the individual component Wires its passage onto the reel will be seriously interfered with and the strand may be found to have a tendency not to lie as evenly coiled about the reel. The effect of the unbalanced casts or residual bending moments of the individual wires will be accenturated if opportunity is provided for the individual wires to rotate into alignment with each other. This is likely to occur with increasing frequency with the passage of time after initial fabrication of an unstabilized parallel-wire strand so that the detrimental effect upon the reeling of the strand will be likely to be more pronounced if the strand is not immediately reeled as a continuing operation subsequent to fabrication. As may often happen, however, the strand ma;y accidentally be initially fabricated with the casts of the individual wires aligned, rather than unaligned or opposed to each other, and in this case the detrimental effect upon reeling will appear regardless of whether the strand is reeled as a continuing operation or not. These difficulties are, of course, obviated if the parallel-wire strand is initially fabricated as stabilized parallel-wire strand with the casts of the various component wires permanently aligned in opposed relationship to each other.

As disclosed in US. application Ser. No. 575,038 if a stabilized parallel-wire strand is to be reeled as a continuous operation immediately following fabrication of the strand it is necessary to use some form of dynamic clamp 53 to isolate the two operations of fabrication and reeling. A caterpuller type clamp such as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 wherein a hexagonal parallel-wire strand is gripped between opposed tracks or articulated clamping surfaces 55 of a three track caterpuller (one track of which is hidden in the drawings) has been found very suitable as a dynamic clamp. Alternatively any other suitable type of dynamic clamp can be used such as the pair of double track caterpullers and 137 shown in FIG. 5 each of which has only one pair of articulated clamping surfaces. The articulated clamping surfaces 143 and 145 of dynamic clamp 137 are turned at a 60 degree angle with respect to articulated clamping surfaces 139 and 141 of dynamic clamp 135. Each articulated clamping surface is composed of connected track links 147 and 149.

Reeling parallel-wire strand according to the present invention in periodically alternating helices provides reels of parallel-wire strand which can be conveniently transported and enables parallel-wire structural strand to be made under uniform shop conditions rather than in the field at the job site as was previously necessary. The invention thus enables parallel-wire strand of better quality to be made and transported more economically than was previously possible.

We claim:

1. A method of reeling a suspension cable strand comprising a bundle of a large number of parallel and axially extending wires, which comprises the steps of feeding said strand axially to a drum, rotating said strand in advance of its movement to said drum to twist the outer wires in said strand into a helical path with respect to the central wires therein, said central wires extending centrally and axially with respect to said helically extending outer wires, and winding the strand on said drum, said twist being retained in the strand during reeling on said drum and being effective to eliminate the development of slack in the wires of the strand as it is wound on the drum, and to enable the wires in the said strand to revert to their said axially extending and parallel arrangement relative to each other upon unreeling from said drum.

2. The reeling method defined in claim 1 characterized by the step of applying seizings about said strand at spaced intervals along its length before it is fed to said drum.

3. The reeling method defined in claim 1 characterized by successive sections of said strand being twisted in opposite rotational directions.

4. In a reel, the combination comprising a preassembled parallel wire strand for use in structural support cables, said strand comprising a bundle of a large number of parallel and axially extending wires, and a drum on which said cable strand is wound, successive sections of said strand being rotated about its axis to provide opposite hand twists therein, the inner wires in each of said strand sections extending centrally with respect to the outer wires therein and said outer wires extending in a spiral path about said inner wires, said opposite hand twists being respectively sufficient to provide for said strand being wound on said drum without the development of slack in individual wires, said twists being insufficient to impart permanent deformation to said wires to enable return of said strand to its initial parallel wire form upon unreeling.

S. A reel package for preformed metallic structural strand of the type known as parallel-wire strand wherein the constituent wires of the strand are normally in substantial parallel relationship to the axes of the strand and to each other comprising the combination of:

a. a central reel drum,

b. a length of parallel-wire strand comprised of a plurality of individual metallic wires and spooled about said drum in consecutive layers with the strand rotated about its longitudinal axis in alternate clockwise and counterclockwise directions to form a periodically alternating helix of wires extending peripherally about said drum whereby the tension and compression induced within the component metallic wires of said parallel wire strand by bending said strand are relieved to allow the strand to lie in multiple consecutive loops about said drum until unreeling without substantial disruption of the strand and physical deterioration of the component wires,

c. said parallel wire strand being secured at intervals with a resilient binding means spaced at intervals along its length.

6. A reel package for preformed metallic structural strand of the type known as parallel-wire strand wherein the constituent wires of the strand are normally in substantial parallel relationship to the axes of the strand and to each other comprising the combination of:

a. a central reel drum,

b. a length of parallelwire strand comprised of a plurality of individual metallic wires and spooled about said drum in consecutive layers with the strand rotated about its longitudinal axis in alternate clockwise and counterclockwise directions to form a periodically alternating helix of wires extending peripherally about said drum whereby the tension and compression induced within the component metallic wires of said parallel wire strand by bending said strand are relieved to allow the strand to lie in multiple consecutive loops about said drum until unreeling without substantial disruption of the strand and physical deterioration of the component wires,

c. said parallel wire strand being secured at intervals with a resilient binding means having an extensibility of 5 to 10 percent and at least a 20 percent return to original length following stressing to percent of its breaking strength and a 50 percent return to original length following stressing to 50 percent of its breaking strength.

7. A reel package for preformed metallic structural strand of the type known as parallel-wire strand wherein the constituent wires of the strand are normally in substantial parallel relationship to the axis of the strand and to each other comprising the combination of:

a. a central reel drum,

b. a length of parallel-wire strand comprised of a plurality of individual metallic wires and spooled about said drum in consecutive layers with the strand rotated about its longitudinal axis in alternate clockwise and counterclockwise directions to form a periodically alternating helix of wires extending peripherally about said drum whereby the tension and compression induced within the component metallic wires of said parallel wire strand by bending said strand are relieved to allow the strand to lie in multiple consecutive loops about said drum until unreeling without substantial disruption of the strand and physical deterioration of the component wires,

c. the component wires of the strand having longitudinal bending moments, and wherein the component wires of the strand are physically disposed with the residual bending moment of substantially each component wire of the strand opposed to the residual bending moment in an opposite direction of another component wire of the strand to provide a stabilized strand and wherein d. the strand is secured at intervals with a resilient binding means spaced at intervals along its length.

8. A reel package for preformed metallic structural strand of the type known as parallel-wire strand wherein the constituent wires of the strand are normally in substantial parallel relationship to the axis of the strand and to each other comprising the combination of:

a. a central reel drum,

b. a length of parallel-wire strand comprised of a plurality of individual metallic wires and spooled about said drum in consecutive layers with the strand rotated about its longitudinal axis in alternate clockwise and counterclockwise directions to form a periodically alternating helix of wires extending peripherally about said drum whereby the tension and compression induced within the component metallic wires of said parallel wire strand by bending said strand are relieved to allow the strand to lie in multiple consecutive loops about said drum until unreeling without substantial description of the strand and physical deterioration of the component wires,

0. the component wires of the strand having longitudinal bending moments, and wherein the component wires of the strand are physically disposed with the residual bending moment of substantially each component wire of the strand opposed to the residual bending moment in an opposite direction of another component wire of the strand to provide a stabilized strand and wherein c. said parallel wire strand being secured at intervals with a resilient binding means having an extensibility of to percent and at least a percent return to original length following stressing to 95 percent of its breaking strength and a 50 percent return to original length following stressing to 50 percent of its breaking strength.

9. A reel package according to claim 3 wherein substantially one half of the component wires of said parallel wire strand have a residual bending moment in a first direction and substantially all of said wires having said first bending moment in a first direction and substantially all of said wires having said first bending moment are physically located in one portion of the strand cross-section and the remaining substantial half of the component wires of said parallel wire strand have a residual bending moment in a second opposite direction and substantially all of said wires having said second bending moment are physically located in the remaining portion of the strand cross-section.

10. A method of reeling preformed metallic structural type parallel wire strand which is bound at intervals with a resilient binding means spaced at intervals along the length of said strand comprising:

a. rotating a central drum of a reel about its axis, and

b. passing metallic parallel wire strand onto and about said drum of said reel while simultaneously rotating said parallel wire strand about its axis in periodically reversed alternate clockwise and counterclockwise directions to form a periodically reversed helix in said strand as it extends about said reel drum.

111. A method of reeling preformed metallic structural type parallel wire strand which is bound at intervals with a resilient binding means having an extensibility of 5 to 10 percent and at least a 20 percent return to original length following stressing to 95 percent of its breaking strength and a 50 percent return to original length following stressing to 50 percent of its breaking strength comprising:

a. rotating a central drum of a reel about its axis, and

b. passing metallic parallel wire strand onto and about said drum of said reel while simultaneously rotating said parallel wire strand about its axis in periodically reversed alternate clockwise and counterclockwise directions to form a periodically reversed helix in said strand as it extends about said reel drum.

12. A method of reeling metallic parallel wire strand according to claim 11 additionally comrising passively inducing the said strand to rotate as it passes on to the reel by:

c. initially stretching out substantial consecutive 'lengths of free unimpeded strand prior to its passage onto the reel, and

d. immediately passing each said free unimpeded length of strand consecutively onto the reel drum without intermediate contact with any physical means external of said strand between the beginning of said substantial length of strand and said 6 lengths to relieve the tension and compression induced within the component wires of the strand and allowing bending of said strand about the effective periphery of the drum of said reel.

13. A method of reeling metallic parallel wire strand, in which the component wires of the strand have longitudinal residual bending moments, according to claim 12 wherein said strand is first fabricated in a stabilized form additionally comprising arranging the component wires of the strand with the residual bending moment of substantially each such component wire of the strand in a predetermined direction and balanced against a residual bending moment in an opposite direction of another component wire of the strand.

14. A reel package for metallic structural strand of the type known as parallel-wire strand wherein the constituent wires of the strand are normally in substantial parallel relationship to the axis of the strand and to each other comprising the combination of:

a. a central reel drum,

b. a substantial length of parallel-wire strand comprised of a plurality of individual metallic wires, including inner wires and outer wires laid over the inner wires, said strand being spooled about said drum in consecutive layers with the strand rotated about its longitudinal axis in alternate clockwise and counterclockwise directions so that the outer wires of the strand extend in a spiral path about said inner wires of the strand which inner wires extend centrally with respect to the outer wires, to form a periodically alternating helix of wires extending peripherally about said drum whereby the tension and compression induced within the component metallic wires of said parallel wire strand by bending said strand are relieved to allow the strand to lie in multiple consecutive loops about said drum until unreeling without substantial disruption of the strand and physical deterioration of the component wires.

15. A reel package according to claim 14 wherein each successive loop of metallic parallel wire strand about said drum has approximately one complete clockwise or counterclockwise rotation associated with it.

16. A method of reeling preformed metallic structural strand of the type known as parallel-wire strand and wherein the constituent wires of the strand are normally in substantial parallel relationship to the axis of the strand and to each other and in which the strand is composed of inner wires and outer wires laid over the inner wires comprising:

a. rotating a central drum of a reel about its axis and b. passing said metallic parallel wire strand onto and about said drum of said reel while simultaneously causing said parallel wire strand to rotate about its axis in periodically reversed alternate clockwise and counterclockwise directions in advance of its movement to said drum to twist the outer wires of said strand into a helical path with respect to the inner wires of said strand to form a periodically reversed helix in said strand as it passes about said reel drum.

17. A reel package for preformed metallic structural strand of the type known as parallel-wire strand wherein the constituent wires of the strand are normally in substantial parallel relationship to the axis of the strand and to each other comprising the combination of:

a. a central reel drum,

b. a substantial length of parallel-wire strand comprised of a plurality of individual metallic wires and spooled about said drum in consecutive layers with the strand rotated about its longitudinal axis in alternate clockwise and counterclockwise directions to form a periodically alternating helix of wires extending peripherally about said drum whereby the tension and compression induced within the component metallic wires of said parallel wire strand by bending said strand are relieved to allow the strand to lie in multiple consecutive loops about said drum until unreeling without substantial disruption of the strand and physical deterioration of the component wires and wherein each successive loop of said metallic parallel wire strand about said drum has approximately one complete clockwise or counterclockwise rotation consecutively about its axis through a range of approximately three quarters of a full rotation for each such rotation,

c. the component wires of the said parallel wire strand having longitudinal residual bending moments wherein the component wires of the strand are physically disposed with the longitudinal residual bending moment of substantially each component wire of the strand opposed to the longitudinal residual bending moment in an opposite direction of another component wire of the strand to provide a stabilized parallel wire strand package.

18. A reel package for preformed metallic structural strand of the type known as parallel wire strand wherein the constituent wires of the strand are normally in substantial parallel relationship to the axis of the strand and to each other comprising the combination of:

a. a central reel drum,

b. a substantial length of parallel-wire strand comprised of a plurality of individual metallic wires and spooled about said drum in consecutive layers with the strand rotated about its longitudinal axis in alternate clockwise and counterclockwise directions to form a periodically alternating helix of wires extending peripherally about said drum whereby the tension and compression induced within the component metallic wires of said parallel wire strand by bending said strand are relieved to allow the strand to lie in multiple consecutive loops about said drum until unreeling without substantial disruption of the strand and physical deterioration of the component wires and wherein the metallic parallel wire strand spooled about said drum has consecutive alternate clockwise and counterclockwise rotations about its axis through a range of approximately three quarters of a full rotation,

c. the component wires of the strand have longitudinal residual bending moments, wherein the component wires of the strand are physically disposed with the residual bending moment of substantially each component wire of the strand opposed to the residual bending moment in an opposite direction of another component wire of the strand to provide a stabilized strand. 19. A reel package according to claim 18 wherein said alternately rotated parallel-wire strand has resilient binding means spaced at intervals along its length.

20. A reel package according to claim 19 wherein substantially one half of the component wires of said parallel wire strand have a residual bending moment in a first direction and substantially all of said wires having said first bending moment are physically located in one portion of the strand cross-section and the remaining substantial half of the component wires of said parallel wire strand have a residual bending moment in a second opposite direction and substantially all of said wires having said second bending moment are physically located in the remaining portion of the strand cross-section.

21. A method of reeling preformed metallic structural type parallel wire strand comprising a. rotating a central drum of a reel about its axis,

b. passing said metallic parallel wire strand onto and about said drum of said reel while simultaneously rotating said parallel wire strand about its axis in periodically reversed alternate clockwise and counterclockwise directions to form a periodically reversed helix in said strand as it passes about said drum,

and additionally comprising passively inducing the said strand to rotate as it passes onto the reel by:

c. initially stretching out substantial consecutive lengths of free unimpeded strand prior to its passage onto the reel and d. immediately passing each said free unimpeded length of strand consecutively onto the reel drum without intermediate contact with any physical means external of said strand between the beginning of said substantial length of strand and said reel whereby the strand is passively induced to rotate consecutively from side to side about is longitudinal axis as it passes onto the reel in consecutive lengths to relieve the tension and compression induced within the component wires of the strand and allow bending of said strand about the effective periphery of the drum of said reel.

22. A method of reeling metallic parallel wire strand, in which the component wires of the strand have longitudinal residual bending moments, according to claim 21 whereby said strand is first fabricated in a stabilized form additionally comprising arranging the component wires of the strand with the residual bending moment of substantially each such component wire of the strand in a predetermined direction and balanced against a residual bending moment in an opposite direction of another component wire of the strand.

23. A method of reeling metallic parallel wire strand according to claim 22 additionally comprising binding said strand at intervals with a resilient binding means prior to passing the said strand onto the said reel.

l l l 

1. A method of reeling a suspension cable strand comprising a bundle of a large number of parallel and axially extending wires, which comprises the steps of feeding said strand axially to a drum, rotating said strand in advance of its movement to said drum to twist the outer wires in said strand into a helical path with respect to the central wires therein, said central wires extending centrally and axially with respect to said helically extending outer wires, and winding the strand on said drum, said twist being retained in the strand during reeling on said drum and being effective to eliminate the development of slack in the wires of the strand as it is wound on the drum, and to enable the wires in the said strand to revert to their said axially extending and parallel arrangement relative to each other upon unreeling from said drum.
 2. The reeling method defined in claim 1 characterized by the step of applying seizings about said strand at spaced intervals along its length before it is fed to said drum.
 3. The reeling method defined in claim 1 characterized by successive sections of said strand being twisted in opposite rotational directions.
 4. In a reel, the combination comprising a preassembled parallel wire strand for use in structural support cables, said strand comprising a bundle of a large number of parallel and axially extending wires, and a drum on which said cable strand is wound, successive sections of said strand being rotated about its axis to provide opposite hand twists therein, the inner wires in each of said strand sections extending centrally with respect to the outer wires therein and said outer wires extending in a spiral path about said inner wires, said opposite hand twists being respectively sufficient to provide for said strand being wound on said drum without the development of slack in individual wires, said twists being insufficient to impart permanent deformation to said wires to enable return of said strand to its initial parallel wire form upon unreeling.
 5. A reel package for preformed metallic structural strand of the type known as parallel-wire strand wherein the constituent wires of the strand are normally in substantial parallel relationship to the axes of the strand and to each other comprising the combination of: a. a central reel drum, b. a length of parallel-wire strand comprised of a plurality of individual metallic wires and spooled about said drum in consecutive layers with the strand rotated about its longitudinal axis in alternate clockwise and counterclockwise directions to form a periodically alternating helix of wires extending peripherally about said drum whereby the tension and compression induced within the component metallic wires of said parallel wire strand by bending said strand are relieved to allow the strand to lie in multiple consecutive loops about said drum until unreeling without substantial disruption of the strand and physical deterioration of the component wires, c. said parallel wire strand being secured at intervals with a resilient binding means spaced at intervals along its length.
 6. A reel package for preformed metallic structural strand of the type known as parallel-wire strand wherein the constituent wires of the strand are normally in substantial parallel relationship to the axes of the strand and to each other comprising the combination of: a. a central reel drum, b. a length of parallel-wire strand comprised of a plurality of individual metallic wires and spooled about said drum in consecutive layers with the strand rotated about its longitudinal axis in alternate clockwise and counterclockwise directions to form a periodically alternating helix of wires extending peripherally about said drum whereby the tension and compression induced within the component metallic wires of said parallel wire strand by bending said strand are relieved to allow the strand to lie in multiple consecutive loops about said drum until unreeling without substantial disruption of the strand and physical deterioration of the component wires, c. said parallel wire strand being secured at intervals with a resilient binding means having an extensibility of 5 to 10 percent and at least a 20 percent return to original length following stressing to 95 percent of its breaking strength and a 50 percent return to original length following stressing to 50 percent of its breaking strength.
 7. A reel package for preformed metallic structural strand of the type known as parallel-wire strand wherein the constituent wires of the strand are normally in substantial parallel relationship to the axis of the strand and to each other comprising the combination of: a. a central reel drum, b. a length of parallel-wire strand comprised of a plurality of individual metallic wires and spooled about said drum in consecutive layers with the strand rotated about its longitudinal axis in alternate clockwise and counterclockwise directions to form a periodically alternating helix of wires extending peripherally about said drum whereby the tension and compression induced within the component metallic wires of said parallel wire strand by bending said strand are relieved to allow the strand to lie in multiple consecutive loops about said drum until unreeling without substantial disruption of the strand and physical deterioration of the component wires, c. the component wires of the strand having longitudinal bending moments, and wherein the component wires of the strand are physically disposed with the residual bending moment of substantially each component wire of the strand opposed to the residual bending moment in an opposite direction of another component wire of the strand to provide a stabilized strand and wherein d. the strand is secured at intervals with a resilient binding means spaced at intervals along its length.
 8. A reel package for preformed metallic structural strand of the type known as parallel-wire strand wherein the constituent wires of the strand are normally in substantial parallel relationship to the axis of the strand and to each other comprising the combination of: a. a central reel drum, b. a length of parallel-wire strand comprised of a plurality of individual metallic wires and spooled about said drum in consecutive layers with the strand rotated about its longitudinal axis in alternate clockwise and counterclockwise directions to form a periodically alternating helix of wires extending peripherally about said drum whereby the tension and compression induced within the component metallic wires of said parallel wire strand by bending said strand are relieved to allow the strand to lie in multiple consecutive loops about said drum until unreeling without substantial description of the strand and physical deterioration of the component wires, c. the component wires of the strand having longitudinal bending moments, and wherein the component wires of the strand are physically disposed with the residual beNding moment of substantially each component wire of the strand opposed to the residual bending moment in an opposite direction of another component wire of the strand to provide a stabilized strand and wherein c. said parallel wire strand being secured at intervals with a resilient binding means having an extensibility of 5 to 10 percent and at least a 20 percent return to original length following stressing to 95 percent of its breaking strength and a 50 percent return to original length following stressing to 50 percent of its breaking strength.
 9. A reel package according to claim 3 wherein substantially one half of the component wires of said parallel wire strand have a residual bending moment in a first direction and substantially all of said wires having said first bending moment in a first direction and substantially all of said wires having said first bending moment are physically located in one portion of the strand cross-section and the remaining substantial half of the component wires of said parallel wire strand have a residual bending moment in a second opposite direction and substantially all of said wires having said second bending moment are physically located in the remaining portion of the strand cross-section.
 10. A method of reeling preformed metallic structural type parallel wire strand which is bound at intervals with a resilient binding means spaced at intervals along the length of said strand comprising: a. rotating a central drum of a reel about its axis, and b. passing metallic parallel wire strand onto and about said drum of said reel while simultaneously rotating said parallel wire strand about its axis in periodically reversed alternate clockwise and counterclockwise directions to form a periodically reversed helix in said strand as it extends about said reel drum.
 11. A method of reeling preformed metallic structural type parallel wire strand which is bound at intervals with a resilient binding means having an extensibility of 5 to 10 percent and at least a 20 percent return to original length following stressing to 95 percent of its breaking strength and a 50 percent return to original length following stressing to 50 percent of its breaking strength comprising: a. rotating a central drum of a reel about its axis, and b. passing metallic parallel wire strand onto and about said drum of said reel while simultaneously rotating said parallel wire strand about its axis in periodically reversed alternate clockwise and counterclockwise directions to form a periodically reversed helix in said strand as it extends about said reel drum.
 12. A method of reeling metallic parallel wire strand according to claim 11 additionally comrising passively inducing the said strand to rotate as it passes on to the reel by: c. initially stretching out substantial consecutive lengths of free unimpeded strand prior to its passage onto the reel, and d. immediately passing each said free unimpeded length of strand consecutively onto the reel drum without intermediate contact with any physical means external of said strand between the beginning of said substantial length of strand and said reel whereby the strand is passively induced to rotate consecutively from side to side about its longitudinal axis as it passes onto the reel in consecutive lengths to relieve the tension and compression induced within the component wires of the strand and allowing bending of said strand about the effective periphery of the drum of said reel.
 13. A method of reeling metallic parallel wire strand, in which the component wires of the strand have longitudinal residual bending moments, according to claim 12 wherein said strand is first fabricated in a stabilized form additionally comprising arranging the component wires of the strand with the residual bending moment of substantially each such component wire of the strand in a predetermined direction and balanced against A residual bending moment in an opposite direction of another component wire of the strand.
 14. A reel package for metallic structural strand of the type known as parallel-wire strand wherein the constituent wires of the strand are normally in substantial parallel relationship to the axis of the strand and to each other comprising the combination of: a. a central reel drum, b. a substantial length of parallel-wire strand comprised of a plurality of individual metallic wires, including inner wires and outer wires laid over the inner wires, said strand being spooled about said drum in consecutive layers with the strand rotated about its longitudinal axis in alternate clockwise and counterclockwise directions so that the outer wires of the strand extend in a spiral path about said inner wires of the strand which inner wires extend centrally with respect to the outer wires, to form a periodically alternating helix of wires extending peripherally about said drum whereby the tension and compression induced within the component metallic wires of said parallel wire strand by bending said strand are relieved to allow the strand to lie in multiple consecutive loops about said drum until unreeling without substantial disruption of the strand and physical deterioration of the component wires.
 15. A reel package according to claim 14 wherein each successive loop of metallic parallel wire strand about said drum has approximately one complete clockwise or counterclockwise rotation associated with it.
 16. A method of reeling preformed metallic structural strand of the type known as parallel-wire strand and wherein the constituent wires of the strand are normally in substantial parallel relationship to the axis of the strand and to each other and in which the strand is composed of inner wires and outer wires laid over the inner wires comprising: a. rotating a central drum of a reel about its axis and b. passing said metallic parallel wire strand onto and about said drum of said reel while simultaneously causing said parallel wire strand to rotate about its axis in periodically reversed alternate clockwise and counterclockwise directions in advance of its movement to said drum to twist the outer wires of said strand into a helical path with respect to the inner wires of said strand to form a periodically reversed helix in said strand as it passes about said reel drum.
 17. A reel package for preformed metallic structural strand of the type known as parallel-wire strand wherein the constituent wires of the strand are normally in substantial parallel relationship to the axis of the strand and to each other comprising the combination of: a. a central reel drum, b. a substantial length of parallel-wire strand comprised of a plurality of individual metallic wires and spooled about said drum in consecutive layers with the strand rotated about its longitudinal axis in alternate clockwise and counterclockwise directions to form a periodically alternating helix of wires extending peripherally about said drum whereby the tension and compression induced within the component metallic wires of said parallel wire strand by bending said strand are relieved to allow the strand to lie in multiple consecutive loops about said drum until unreeling without substantial disruption of the strand and physical deterioration of the component wires and wherein each successive loop of said metallic parallel wire strand about said drum has approximately one complete clockwise or counterclockwise rotation consecutively about its axis through a range of approximately three quarters of a full rotation for each such rotation, c. the component wires of the said parallel wire strand having longitudinal residual bending moments wherein the component wires of the strand are physically disposed with the longitudinal residual bending moment of substantially each component wire of the strand opposed to the longitudinal residual bending moment in an opposite direction of another cOmponent wire of the strand to provide a stabilized parallel wire strand package.
 18. A reel package for preformed metallic structural strand of the type known as parallel wire strand wherein the constituent wires of the strand are normally in substantial parallel relationship to the axis of the strand and to each other comprising the combination of: a. a central reel drum, b. a substantial length of parallel-wire strand comprised of a plurality of individual metallic wires and spooled about said drum in consecutive layers with the strand rotated about its longitudinal axis in alternate clockwise and counterclockwise directions to form a periodically alternating helix of wires extending peripherally about said drum whereby the tension and compression induced within the component metallic wires of said parallel wire strand by bending said strand are relieved to allow the strand to lie in multiple consecutive loops about said drum until unreeling without substantial disruption of the strand and physical deterioration of the component wires and wherein the metallic parallel wire strand spooled about said drum has consecutive alternate clockwise and counterclockwise rotations about its axis through a range of approximately three quarters of a full rotation, c. the component wires of the strand have longitudinal residual bending moments, wherein the component wires of the strand are physically disposed with the residual bending moment of substantially each component wire of the strand opposed to the residual bending moment in an opposite direction of another component wire of the strand to provide a stabilized strand.
 19. A reel package according to claim 18 wherein said alternately rotated parallel-wire strand has resilient binding means spaced at intervals along its length.
 20. A reel package according to claim 19 wherein substantially one half of the component wires of said parallel wire strand have a residual bending moment in a first direction and substantially all of said wires having said first bending moment are physically located in one portion of the strand cross-section and the remaining substantial half of the component wires of said parallel wire strand have a residual bending moment in a second opposite direction and substantially all of said wires having said second bending moment are physically located in the remaining portion of the strand cross-section.
 21. A method of reeling preformed metallic structural type parallel wire strand comprising a. rotating a central drum of a reel about its axis, b. passing said metallic parallel wire strand onto and about said drum of said reel while simultaneously rotating said parallel wire strand about its axis in periodically reversed alternate clockwise and counterclockwise directions to form a periodically reversed helix in said strand as it passes about said drum, and additionally comprising passively inducing the said strand to rotate as it passes onto the reel by: c. initially stretching out substantial consecutive lengths of free unimpeded strand prior to its passage onto the reel and d. immediately passing each said free unimpeded length of strand consecutively onto the reel drum without intermediate contact with any physical means external of said strand between the beginning of said substantial length of strand and said reel whereby the strand is passively induced to rotate consecutively from side to side about is longitudinal axis as it passes onto the reel in consecutive lengths to relieve the tension and compression induced within the component wires of the strand and allow bending of said strand about the effective periphery of the drum of said reel.
 22. A method of reeling metallic parallel wire strand, in which the component wires of the strand have longitudinal residual bending moments, according to claim 21 whereby said strand is first fabricated in a stabilized form additionally comprising arranging the component wires of the strand with the residual bending moMent of substantially each such component wire of the strand in a predetermined direction and balanced against a residual bending moment in an opposite direction of another component wire of the strand.
 23. A method of reeling metallic parallel wire strand according to claim 22 additionally comprising binding said strand at intervals with a resilient binding means prior to passing the said strand onto the said reel. 